Something Wicked
by the unbirthday girl
Summary: The Minotaur is reborn in a cave on a rocky mountainside - in enemy pantheon territory. The thing is: he doesn't exactly know that yet./ / - for the survival challenge at OPAC. "The Minotaur," "the mountains," and "enemy pantheon territory." DISCONTINUED until further notice.


**a/n. for the survival challenge at opac, hosted by **_**on the sea**_**. i was given: character: the minotaur, setting: the mountains, and the issue: "enemy pantheon territory". my prompt is: "**_**You're a carnivore. You're hungry. Find something...or someone...to eat.**_**" sorry if this disturbs you because…yes, i did. **

**i disclaim, blabbity blah blah.**

**.i.**

In a dark cave in a rocky mountainside, something terrible was being reborn. Grains of golden sand were blown toward the center of the cave by a nonexistent wind, gathering into a pile that was slowly taking form.

First came two thick, hairy legs, each nearly the size of a small tree. Then a large torso, corded with muscle and covered in fur; a gigantic head, complete with pink, snotty snout and large, yellowish curved horns. His (its?) black eyes were surprisingly small and slightly glazed over.

The Minotaur's first loud breath sent a rush of hot, stinking air through the cave. He made his way slowly and deliberately towards the mouth of the cave. The sun was beginning to set. Curling his large hands into fists, the Minotaur threw back his head and let out a suitably monstrous roar.

**x**

He was hungry, and thirty as well. His throat burned and his lips were dry; there was a sharp ache in his stomach. It had been quite a long while since he'd last been awake, and now that he was released from the Pit, the urge to kill and to eat had returned.

When he stepped out of the cave, he did so carelessly, but it did not matter. It was unlikely that any demigods had ventured to this mountain range, where they would be on there on and there were many shadows for big and scary monsters to hide. The Mist would keep his true nature hidden from mortals. Besides; the Minotaur specialized in brute strength. Though more intelligent than the majority of wild animals, he did not have quite the cleverness of the average human.

Anyhow, the first of his priorities (as always, really) was to eat. Perhaps he would find something large enough to satisfy him, but it seemed unlikely. Small animals scurried away at the mere sound of his approach, as did most of the larger ones; there was always the odd lingerer, though; something just curious enough and just stupid enough to hang behind to watch. Those were his meals.

He walked an almost completely straight line down the mountainside. He plowed through small trees and paid no mind to squirrels, chipmunks, and the like, which were too small to satisfy his hunger and were often crushed beneath his feet. He walked for nearly an hour; he was not patient, exactly, and not impatient either. The Minotaur enjoyed the fresh air and the freedom of being aboveground. It had been far too long since he had been anywhere other than Tartarus and now he was free to roam and wreak havoc as he pleased.

Smoke. He could smell it, and hear human laughter. And, of course: the tempting scent of blood, of living flesh. He licked his cracked black lips.

The campsite wasn't far. The Minotaur crouched among the trees at the edge of the clearing—he was so close, they could have seen him, if they'd been paying attention. But one of them—female—was speaking, perhaps telling a story, and apparently her words were enthralling. The other female laughed and nodded occasionally. Clueless.

Eventually, the listener stood and walked into the forest, presumably to relieve herself. She had made her way to a spot, out of sight, almost directly opposite his position, but this wasn't an issue for someone of his stature. He walked around the edge of the ovular clearing, as close to carefully as he ever was. He knew her location exactly. He could not see her through the trees (he hardly ever relied on site anyhow), but his senses had sharpened. He could smell her, hear her pulse, her calm breathing.

And then he saw her. It was nothing truly dramatic; the girl saw him as well, though not really _him_. She was too frightened to open her mouth fully, at first. As he approached, she could only find the will to say shakily, to herself, "Bear," and take one clumsy step backwards. Then she was in his grasp, unable to escape. He snapped her neck easily.

His dinner was, needless to say, gruesome, and better left not described.

**x **

The way back to the cave was easy. He followed his own scent, which had not yet begun to fade. His ascent was even more leisurely than his descent. His stomach was full, and his mouth no longer dry; he had discovered a lake on the way up. The sky was nearly black now, but he had not wasted time.

The Minotaur lay down on the cold rock floor of the cave and let out a rumble of satisfaction. Now that the sharp hunger and burning thirst were gone, however, he felt a tingle, a sense of not belonging. He pushed this instinct aside in favor of sleep (he is, as I said, not very intelligent).

His eyes closed and he fell into an easy slumber—sleep comes easily to those without conscience.


End file.
